Chapter 942: Fear in the Heart; Mastery Beyond Mastery (II)
Somewhere on Surging Lake stood a solitary island. Unlike anywhere else here, there were no flowers, no waterbirds, no insects, or beasts. The barren land felt utterly lifeless. And indeed, the only inhabitant here was, technically, not a living being.
Han Zhan had received Luo Chen's message a few days back and agreed to meet him, and today was the day of the visit.
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now. The way you practice formations is too rigid. Or rather... you've gone a bit off track. I used to think you were really talented at formations. You could pick up low-tier ones almost instantly, and once you got started, your progress was incredible. Some of the formations you set up were even better than mine; I found that hard to believe, but that was how things were. But later, I realized something. You're too fixated on copying things and perfecting each bit step by step. You focus on the pattern, but not the intent behind it. That approach might work for low-tier formations... but once you get into high-tier ones, it just doesn't hold up anymore.
"You need to understand this: a true formation master can never be bound by rigid rules. They adapt to the environment, sure... but they also reshape the environment to suit their needs, to create the formation they need right now as opposed to whatever they learned before. Why can they do that? Because they understand the essence of formations. And you don't, which is why you're restricted at every turn.
"Every high-tier formation embodies the will of its creator at the moment when it was designed. What you can reproduce is just the outer form, not the core. And without that, no matter how perfect it is, it's nothing more than an empty shell. Take the Oceanseal Eight Trigram Formation. You can only set it up in places rich in water. But I can put it into place even in the middle of a volcanic eruption. Do you understand the difference? Or take the Two Poles Formation, since that's the problem at hand. You picked it up quickly, but now you're stuck at basic proficiency. The formations you set up can trouble early-stage Adepts, but that's the extent of it. Tell me—do you actually understand what it is about?"
Luo Chen had never expected this meeting to unfold this way. He had thought it would be a simple exchange of questions and answers, yet Han Zhan's words struck him like a blow to his ego. All his previous confidence now seemed almost laughable. He had believed that with the system, he could endlessly learn any formation. Now it was clear he had taken the wrong path.
As he reflected, he found a parallel in alchemy. Even after reaching Perfected Mastery, his success rate for top-grade pills remained around fifty percent. That meant half of his attempts still failed. Certainly, by normal standards, that was already considered excellent, enough for him to be called a grandmaster alchemist. But something was not right. Upon refining fourth-tier Transformation Pills, Luo Chen had become a fourth-tier alchemist. Someone at this level ought to not only excel in specific pills but also stand near the peak among all alchemists. When refining low-tier pills, his refinement success rate should have been much higher than fifty percent. Yet he could not even achieve that.
No, actually, it was not that he couldn't. He had long noticed that the longer he worked on a particular pill, the more his success rate would climb, although it was an extremely slow process. And even though it made no logical sense, it would continue to rise even after achieving Perfected Mastery!
At the time, he had brushed it off as nothing more than familiarity. But now, he understood it ran far deeper. As the saying goes, read something often enough, and its meaning will reveal itself. All along, he had been unconsciously grasping the deeper principles behind each pill, which was why his results had kept improving. And now, Han Zhan's words had struck him awake and illuminated a truth the status panel could not possibly reflect—beyond mastery of form, there was mastery of principle, mastery of essence.
With this new standpoint, he began thinking of his past. After reaching Perfected Mastery in Fireball, it had evolved into Solar Flare. That was the true essence of the spell. After mastering Spirit Eyes, it rooted itself in his eyes, enhancing his sight to the point where he could perceive things unseen by others and avoid deathly crises. That worked out the same for Mirror Flower Water Moon, and even the Dragon-Slaying Art. Everything followed the same pattern. Then what of the techniques that showed no such transformation? Was it because their limits were inherently low? Or was it simply because he had yet to grasp their true intent?
For a time, Luo Chen fell into deep thought. Only when he came back to his senses did Han Zhan resume speaking and teach him about the Two Poles Formation.
As Luo Chen left the lifeless island, he could not help but glance back in Han Zhan's direction.
Looks like I misjudged him... took a petty view of a true gentleman. Even a completely selfless master or an elder from my own family might not have given me guidance like this. Besides, with that Great Dao Oath he swore back then, how could he possibly have ill intentions toward me?
Luo Chen let out a self-mocking smile and finally felt a weight lifted from his heart. It was not only because of Han Zhan's guidance today, but also because he now knew how to push the Two Poles Formation to a higher level.
***
Night fell, and the moon swayed gently across the water's surface. Deep beneath the lake, within a cave overgrown with aquatic plants and vibrant coral, a massive flood dragon lay coiled in sleep. Beside him, a slender figure sat cross-legged, slowly forming hand seals. With each breath, she drew in and released the incomparably pure spirit energy of the place.
It was a young girl who wore a turquoise dress embroidered with lifelike white lotuses. White silk stockings peeked faintly beneath her skirt, and her waist was so slender that a larger hand could hold it in its entirety. Her features were soft, with fine brows, pale skin, and a straight nose. Yet for all her beauty, she seemed almost too delicate, missing the soft fullness that characterized girls of her age.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in her ear. "You should head back."
The girl opened her eyes, and a hint of mischief flashed through them. "Uncle Dragon, how did you know I was awake?"
Black King looked at her helplessly. "The energy you absorb comes from what I refine and let out for you. Do you think I wouldn't know when you stop?"
The girl pouted. "Tch... How boring."
Black King sighed. "Go on, head back. I heard from my master that today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Shouldn't you be with your family?"
When the full moon rose, it was time for reunions. Yet Zhang Jingqing stared blankly ahead, unable to speak for a moment. A rustling sound followed as Black King began to move his massive body.
The girl panicked. "Uncle Dragon, just let me stay here for one night, pleaseeee."
Black King frowned in confusion. "Eh? Do you really not want to see your mom... and dad?"
"My dad?" The girl lowered her head, and her voice turned dim. "In his eyes, there's only that younger brother of mine. As for Mom... Ever since she went to Winding Island two years ago to deliver spirit stones to Sovereign Thatched Mountain and ended up becoming her disciple, she gave up her work at Azure Yang Shop and has been cultivating by her side ever since. I'll just go see her some other time."
She still spoke with attachment toward her mother, but it was obvious that she held nothing but resentment toward her father. As Black King listened, he slowly began to glide toward the exit of the cave. At the sight of it, tears nearly welled up in the girl's eyes. "Do you... not like me anymore either?"
Black King shook his head helplessly. With a gentle sweep of demonic energy, he lifted her onto his back. "Master's looking for me; what's that got to do with whether I like you or not? You're thinking way too much for someone your age, little girl. Come on, let's go out. It's a festive night; if Master's in a good mood, he might even take you in as a disciple."
She sat on Black King's back with a strained look on her face. There was admiration and reverence, but also fear, and underneath all that, there was worry. It was difficult to believe that someone of her age could hold such complicated feelings in her heart.
The dragon moved swiftly. After leaving the underwater cave, he broke through the currents and surged upward. The long waves on the surface of the lake scattered into ripples as they emerged.
The girl looked up. Beneath the bright full moon, a man and a woman stood suspended in the air. The woman stood slightly behind the man; she was a familiar figure from the girl's childhood. She was known to others as Fairy Heavenjade, though Zhang Jingqing herself would sweetly call her Aunt Heavenjade. As for the man in white, his skin seemed to burn like fire, and his presence was as unmovable as a mountain. Even under the calm and cold moonlight, he seemed like a volcano ready to burst at any moment.
Black King lowered his head in a respectful greeting. "Master, what do you need me for?"
